CAMPAIGNERS held a rally in Northwich in a last-ditch attempt to prevent Cheshire's youth service moving out of county council control.

The Cheshire branch of the Community and Youth Workers Union fears Cheshire's proposal to transfer the youth service to the control of Connexions, the careers service, could lead to cuts in services and put jobs and youth clubs at risk.

Council chiefs, who meet tomorrow to decide on the plan, argue it will create a wide-ranging service backed by a £12m-plus budget.

CYWU national secretary Doug Nichols told the rally at Rudheath: 'The experience of other authorities is clear, moving youth services outside of the local authority leads to a fall in the standards of youth work services for young people and in some cases dramatic increases in the costs to taxpayers of delivering youth work.

'Joining the two services is a good idea but they both need to be in the authority so councillors can have proper control over what is provided.'

The plan has horrified campaigners including Mike Kennedy, who fought a long-running battle to save New Images Youth Centre in Winsford.

He said: 'If these changes go ahead, the concern in the community will be obvious. There will be a loss of youth provision and Connexions will not provide the same sort of youth service.

'New Images itself has been decimated over the years and people wonder why there's so much anti-social behaviour - take away the facilities and the youngsters have got nothing to do apart from hang around on the streets.'

* Union bosses have hit out at Connexions for placing an advert in the Chronicle asking people to lobby councillors voting tomorrow.

The union claims it may have been a breach of the Local Government Act which requires council-funded services to remain politically neutral. A Cheshire County Council spokesman said: 'We have asked Connexions for urgent clarification of the situation with regards to the advert.'